Really Random Tuesday #76: Blog Talk, Book Winners, and Jane Austen

It's a good thing we have a sense of humor.  I think many bloggers can relate to this humorous card.  My husband gave me the card above for Valentine's Day (along with a more traditional card), in an envelope addressed to "Suko".  I do find this quite funny, and "spot on"--I've watched numerous eyes glaze over when I've talked at length about my blog.  ;)

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Please help me to congratulate Laura from Library of Clean Reads and traveler.  Each has won a copy of The Pact by Mitchell S. Karnes.  Congratulations to both of you! 

Dear readers, if you didn't win this time, please scroll down and take a look at the other book giveaways listed on the right side of my blog.  I update this list frequently, so check back as often as you wish for new book giveaways. 

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Isn't she lovely?  GoneReading, a glorious online gift shop for readers, now has a Jane Austen action figure available, part of an entire collection devoted to this English novelist.  Like me, you may think of Jane Austen as more cerebral than action-oriented, but imagine her lending unmistakeable poise and presence to your writing desk, home library, or reading nook, or as a special guest at your next book club meeting.  It'll be hard for Jane Austen fans to resist the wonderful stuff in this collection. Through the end of March, enter SUKOS20 at the check-out for a 20% discount on all GoneReading purchases!

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. I often announce book winners in these posts. If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, then add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

The Pact: Review and Giveaway

There once was a bully named Cheezy.  My friend and I called her this simply because we saw her eat cheese crackers (I think they were Cheez-Its).  She scowled at me, she picked on me, and she may have even punched me once or twice--probably because I was  skinny and didn't fight back.  I was in fourth or fifth grade at the time, and very shy.  I was too shy to tell an adult about her actions, and luckily they were infrequent.  But I know that for many children, sadly, bullying is much more frequent, and much more harrowing.  Published by Black Rose Writing in 2013, TLC Book Tours described The Pact in an introductory email as "middle grade fiction about bullying, wrestling, and boys".  I decided to read The Pact because I think the problem of bullying needs to be addressed and dealt with.  Written by Mitchell S. Karnes, a pastor and father of seven children, The Pact is the first book in a four-part series.

The Pact begins in 1989, and is the story of Scott Addison.  His father, David, has died, and he and his mom, Barbara, move from Iowa City, Iowa to the small town of Meadowbrook, Illinois.  Like most children his age, Scott wants to fit in at school, but he also wants to do what's right, which gets him into trouble with some of the tough boys.  On his first day of eighth grade at Lincoln Junior High School, Scott, who's 6'2",  defends a small boy, Paul Strickland, who's being bullied by some larger boys, Joe, Sammy, and Mark.  Scott despises bullies, and the first pact in the book is that he will protect Paul from them.  As a result of Scott's intervention, he and Paul become friends.  Later in the book, Paul introduces Scott to his older friends, Chris and Luke, who are in high school. 

"Scott couldn't wait for Friday.  He had a rough week  and couldn't seem to get anything off of his mind, from the visit of Mr. Knowlton to Joe's dad, and from Mrs. Largent's comment about weaknesses to Sammy's physical and verbal shots in the stairwell.  Life was crashing down around him, and Warriors & Thieves provided the only true escape for Scott."
~ The Pact, Mitchell S. Karnes

Scott is smart, and he's a strong wrestler.  But in spite of (and maybe also because of) his talents, life is difficult, and he "wrestles" with several serious issues.  Unfortunately, Scott is now a target of the bullies, who are resentful, mean, and merciless.  He was close to his deceased father, who was a renowned fantasy-writer and an excellent role model and teacher, and although his mother is loving and wonderful, Scott is having a rough time in some ways at his new school.  He wants to be a good person, but he's young and inexperienced, and he doesn't know how to handle the behavior of the school bullies.  (He later witnesses something that gives him insight into bullying behavior, and he's not sure what to do with this knowledge.)  Religion is also a part of this story (it's presented in a low-key manner, and most of the boys do not attend church), and Scott is conflicted because the youth minister, Rick, does not approve of the fantasy-game that he enjoys playing so much, Warriors & Thieves (which is prominently featured in the novel).  Throughout the book, Scott struggles to control his strong emotions, and he also needs to learn to control his physical strength, and to use it intelligently.

The Pact seized my attention firmly, and I read it quickly.  I learned quite a bit about wrestling, an ancient form of combat and a sport that requires both physical and mental skill.  Throughout the book, Scott gets into several dangerous situations and I must say that at times I thanked my lucky stars that I was not born a boy--too much fighting and risky behavior!  I think this short novel will appeal to children--especially boys--who often struggle with various things as they grow up, including bullying.  The Pact would be a good choice for a class in middle school, and would naturally lead to important discussions about bullying, and hopefully about the value of friendship and character.  I also think that fathers and sons would benefit from reading and discussing this book, which features different types of father-son relationships.  I look forward to reading the next book in this series, The Dragon's Pawn, which will be published in a few months. 

Terrific news!  The author is generously offering a giveaway for two copies of The Pact (U.S./Canada only).

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• Were you bullied as a child?  Leave a brief comment about your experience for an extra entry. 
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.

Enter by 5 PM PST on Monday, February 24.  Two winners will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, February 25. 


Special thanks to Lisa from TLC for sending me this book.  For an interview with author Mitchell S. Karnes, stop by YA Reads.  For more reviews of this book, please visit the other stops on TLC's blog tour for The Pact.

Thanks for reading!  As always, your comments are valued and welcomed. 

The Pact: Intense Fiction by Jodi Picoult

"There was nothing left to say."
~The Pact, Jodi Picoult

Whew! It took me forever to read The Pact: A Love Story, published in 1998, by Jodi Picoult. I started it about a month ago, and although I found the writing forceful, and read about fifty pages or so, I set it aside for at least a few weeks. It's a very intense book, and it was difficult for me to read it for any length of time. It would upset me greatly, and I had a hard time returning to it, even though I wanted to. Needless to say, suicide is not a light or pleasant topic, and this book, whose chapters alternate between the past and the present, revolves around an apparent suicide pact between two high school students, Chris Harte and Emily Gold. As Jodi Picoult states in the notes at the end of the book, she doesn't write books that are easy to read (or write, I'm sure!). The subject matter of this book is very disturbing, and as a parent it was even more harrowing for me to read. Still, that being said, I did eventually return to this book, and became thoroughly engaged and invested in The Pact, a story about two close friends who grew up together and grow to love each other in a romantic sense, which leads to tragic consequences. The families of Chris and Em were also very close, and although the relationship between the kids seemed desirable and inevitable, in hindsight there were grave problems caused by this very closeness, as well as from the outside world, and what happens is quite disturbing and profound. While reading, I knew that such a story could happen in real life, especially during the teenage years when every emotion seems to be greatly amplified. That is what is so frightening--this book is very realistic!

I wanted to know what really happened, I wanted to hear the truth, and I wanted Chris to have a chance to tell his side of the story, so I kept on reading, and was absolutely transfixed. Jodi Picoult handles many topics with aplomb--young love, ambivalent feelings, and taboo topics (in the book, Chris meets a remorseful young dad, Steve, in jail, who has allegedly shaken his baby to death in a moment of anger, an example of the author's ability to write honestly and sensitively about very difficult subjects)--and makes readers think deeply about tough questions, such as: how well do we know our own children, and who do we trust?

Kudos to Jodi Picoult! In spite of taking so long to finish reading this novel, I was rewarded by a book that is well-researched, believable, and full of suspense. The Pact is a must-read for tried and true Jodi Picoult fans, or for those who want a truly intense introduction to this prolific author, who writes so well that you are pulled into the story despite any initial resistance. I am now on a roll (well, sort of), and plan to read House Rules next for The Jodi Picoult Project. If you want to join this challenge, commit to reading at least one novel by this author before the conclusion of October 2012. Feel free to "grab" the button and use it on your own blog. I've just added a Page for this reading challenge, with a Mister Linky, so please submit any review links to that. Thanks!


As always, I welcome your comments.